3 ETFs To Watch This Week: FXI, XHB, VIS

Bullish momentum somewhat returned on Wall Street last week, pushing major U.S. stock indexes into uncharted territory once again. Investors welcomed an encouraging labor report, which showed that initial jobless claims fell more than expected, to 346,000, marking the first decline in four weeks. Meanwhile, disappointing reports on retail sales and consumer sentiment weighed heavily on the market on Friday. This week, investors will once again see many economic reports. Below, we outline three ETFs that should see a fair amount of activity during the week ahead [see also 7 Simple & Cheap ETF Model Portfolio]:

Why FXI Will Be In Focus: This ETF measures the Chinese stock market with a large cap spin, making it one of the more popular emerging market funds. FXI has over $6 billion in assets, an average daily volume topping 16 million and is easily the most popular fund dedicated to China. Its place in the spotlight will come on Monday when China releases its latest first quarter real GDP figures. Analysts are expecting GDP (YoY) for the first quarter to come in at 8.0%, compared to the previously recorded 7.9% [see also 17 ETFs For Day Traders].

Why XHB Will Be In Focus: With over $2.7 billion in total assets under management, this ETF is by far the most popular option for investors looking to add exposure to the homebuilding industry. Its focus will come on Tuesday as U.S. building permits and housing starts are reported. Analysts expect an uptick in housing starts, but forecast building permits to remain unchanged at 0.94 million.

Why VIS Will Be In Focus: This ETF tracks an index that is comprised of the roughly 350 U.S.-listed, publicly-traded companies in the industrial sector. Investors should keep a close eye on VIS on Thursday as the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index is reported. Analysts expect the metric to come in at 3.1, as compared to the previously recorded 2.0 figure [see also How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time].

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